Clipping wings because of garden

[SimpleSonflower]

Well.....I can't seem to keep my chickens out of my garden. I have a garden fence and they just fly right over it! I guess I'll have to clip their wings. My question is if I clip their wings, will they have a hard time flying up to their roosts in the hen house? Has anyone else has this problem?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

What type of chickens? How high is the roost and the fence? You can clip their wings as long as the roost isn't too high, and if its like a sebright or Japanese bantam (both REALLY GOOD flyers) you can clip their wings and they will still fly everywhere.

 

[klmclain1]

How high are the roosts??

 

[so lucky]

Some light weight chickens can still fly a bit with wing feathers clipped. If your garden fence is not very high, say under 5 feet, they may still be able to get in. How high is their roost? Ours is only about 3.5 feet off the floor, but my ladies seem to appreciate a big upturned log section to use as a launch pad. Many people suggest only clipping one wing, to throw the chicken off-balance, and keep them from flying straight. I sympathize with you. I'm going to have to fence my garden before spring, too.

 

[SimpleSonflower]

My roosts are about 3 1/2 feet. I think I will try to clip just one side this year and see how it goes. I don't think my Easter Egger and Speckled Sussex will be able to still fly over my garden fence but those leghorns might be able to! I want to start taking out some of my compost and spreading it in the garden because my composter is full, but if I don't get the fence situation under control, my chickens will eat all the compost!!

Happy New Year!!

 

[MedChicken]

My roots are about 3 feet high, and my girls do just fine with both wings clipped, though they look a bit clumsy for the first day or two. Even my heavy girls (Marans) do just fine. I turn them upside down, they spread their wings for me, and I clip them. They no longer fly over the 4' fence on the mini-run or the 6' fence around the whole yard, but they still do just fine getting to the roosts.

If the compost is the concern, what's wrong with the chickens eating it? Tasty treats!